Improvement in medical compounds for cure of yellow fever



lvrrngn STATES AND T. J. ELLIS,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN MEDICAL COMPOUNDS FOR CURE 0F YELLOW FEVER, &c.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 124,458, dated March 12, 1872 antedated February 22, 1872.

1 To all whom it may concern:

State of Mississippi, have invented a certain Improved Medical Compound for the prevention and cure of yellow fever and other contagious diseases, of which the following is a specification:

The ingredients composing my compound are of such proportional parts as will make a gallon of the mixture, and they are as follows: Gum camphor, one ounce; carbonate of ammonia, half ounce; Cayenne pepper, one teaspoonful; beefgall, small piece, one-eighth inch in size; niter, small piece, size of a common pea. The above ingredients are put into one gallon of alcohol, and are shaken three times daily for thirty-six hours, when they are thoroughly dissolved. The mixture is then carefully filtered, and is ready for use.

In cases of yellow fever I have found from practice the following to be a successful and judicious treatment: I give one tea-spoonful and a half of castor-oil, combined with one tea-spoonful of the compound in warm coffee, every three hours, until there is a bilious discharge, applying at the same time continued warmth to the feet. I also cause the spine, stomach, and extremities of the patient to be rubbed with the mixture until free perspiration is excited. When fever sets in, I give three drops of my compound in a glass of water, and allay tendency to thirst by applying linen cloths wrung out of water, in which a requisite quantity of saltpeter has been dissolved, to the I spine, head, stomach,and bowels. This treatment, with the patient on light diet, I have found attended with almost uniform success, and always tending greatly to lessen the suffering incident to diseases of the nature of yellow fever.

The compound thus described is also of great value as a disinfecting agent to prevent yellow fever or other like diseases being taken by contagion, and its use as such is as follows: It is put in a suitable vessel to the depth of an inch, more or less, and placed in the room to be disinfected. The liquid is then set on fire, when it will be found to burn like gas; and, upon continuing to burn for a half hour,

thoroughly dissipated, and the air of the apartment purified.

The compound may also be taken internally as a preventive, and the dose, when it is so used, is a half tea-spoonful, which counteracts the effect of the poison of the infected district or sick-room.

Having described my invention, I claim-- The medical compound herein described, compounded in or in about the proportions herein set forth, and used as a disinfectant, preventive of, or cure for yellow fever and other like contagious diseases, as set forth.

In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto signed my name.

THOMAS H. THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

B. F. BROWN,

W. E. BRUNsoN.

all offensive odors arising from disease are 

